The race to develop increasingly capable batteries has entered a very positive dynamic where the increasing investment is allowing them to increase their capacities. If a few days ago we saw CATL present a model with 500 Wh/kg, now it is the European northvolt the one that has presented a prototype that has even already begun to be sent to the first customers.
The person in charge of the development has been the subsidiary of Northvolt, Cuberg, which has presented a new program dedicated to the development of high-performance battery systems that will allow applications to be extended from cars to other sectors, like aviation.
Cuberg will use the metal-lithium technologywhich has become one of the alternatives with the greatest potential to boost the energy density of lithium batteries into an option with greater potential and also greater thermal stability, and therefore safety.
According to Peter Carlsson, CEO and co-founder of Northvolt: “Northvolt is establishing itself as a leading global provider of sustainable battery cells for the automotive segment, as well as complete battery systems for the energy storage and heavy industrial markets. With our aviation systems program, we will leverage Cuberg’s next-generation lithium-metal cell technology along with our battery manufacturing expertise to bring comprehensive power solutions to the skies.”.
Cuberg’s technology uses a metal-lithium anode and a liquid electrolyte of our own design to simultaneously solve the intertwined challenges of battery performance and manufacturability. While existing battery technologies may be too heavy and underperforming for use on aircraft, Cuberg’s cells are lightweight, with high power capacity, and safe.
In addition, this technology is compatible with industry standard manufacturing methods, allowing scalability and traceability throughout the value chain in a quick and easy way.
Since the publication of the first externally validated performance data for its lithium-metal cells in July 2022, Cuberg has made significant progress toward a fully integrated battery system.
On the one hand, Cuberg has developed a 20 Ah commercial format lithium-metal bag cell with a specific energy of 405Wh/kg. A design that is already in the hands of the first customers who have been able to start validation tests with their vehicles.
In addition, Cuberg has designed and produced an aviation module, based on its 20 Ah metal-lithium cells, with a specific energy of 280 Wh/kg and a volumetric capacity of 320 Wh/L.
Third, Cuberg’s lithium-metal module platform has achieved passive propagation resistance during a thermal runaway verification test campaign, a key step in the certification of aviation battery systems.
Advances that are very close to reaching the commercial phase, and Northvolt itself is preparing to erect the first production lines at the end of this yearwhich will allow, if all the validation tests are correct, to start mass production in 2024.
Source | northvolt
